Whiting High School - Reflector Yearbook (Whiting, IN)

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LOOKING BACKWARD Fifty years can bring a lot of changes to anything, whether it be a town, like Whiting, or a school, like Whiting High. As our alma mater proudly looks back over its half-a- hundred years, let’s go back with it and see how much fifty years have changed our community. The first settlers began coming into the northwestern-most region of Indiana in the early 18 50’s. These pioneer inhabitants derived their living from hunting, fishing, limited farming, and picking wild berries in the vast woodlands of the area. The Standard Oil Company first broke ground for what was destined to become the world’s largest oil refinery in 1889 on land that was formerly the favorite hunting and fishing grounds of the Illini Indians. As the refinery began to operate, a town began to mushroom. The population increased during the immediately ensuing years to such an extent that the first city government for the town of Whiting was formed in 1895. Eight years later, in 1903, Whiting was incorporated as a city. In 1898, townspeople decided that there were enough students to start a high school; and thus, in the fall of that year, the second story of a brick building on the corner of 119th and Oliver Streets received the first high school boys and girls in Whiting’s short history. Two recitation rooms and a large assembly hall housed the eight students, three teachers, and principal. Then, as now, English was required, but other subjects, such as art, German, and mathematics, were elec- tives. VETS SERVICE CAB 1931 New York Avenue — Phone: 398 1687

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Woods

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After-school hours in ’98 saw no football, basketball, or baseball practice as sports were not included in the school’s activities. Instead, active students engaged in bicycling, with the stylish Gay Nineties girl cyclists wearing large, colorful bloomers. This sport usually took in a route from Oliver through Center Street out to woodland-surrounded Berry Lake, located between Whiting and what is now Markstown. Most of Whiting’s three thousand plus population was located in or around the business dis- trict, then Front Street. Standard Oil Company houses were situated on Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York Avenues, while small farms occupied the area around what is now Fred and John Streets, near Indianapolis Boulevard. Cow pastures abounded out in the Robertsdale district. The territory between Oliver Street and Cleveland Avenue was an area of marshes and woods. Near what is now Lever Brothers was, in the Gay Nineties, an outlet for Lake George into Lake Michi- gan. During these early years, grad- uation exercises were held in Goebel’s Opera House on John Street, as the school had no auditorium, and the Community Center, site of present graduation ceremonies, was not destined to be constructed until 1923. A person walking barefoot along the city’s streets, which were really cinder roads, was in danger of picking up splinters, as the walks of ’98 were not of cement but boards. These board- walks were of different levels along the street, according to the likes or dislikes of the property owners, who built their own walks. A gentleman of the Gay Nineties would have to watch his step when out walking downtown at night as there was but one kerosene lamp in that area. GEORGE SPIES INDUSTRIES, INC. Best Class Rings Made.”